Alonso to miss Australian GP

London, England (SportsNetwork.com) - Fernando Alonso will not compete in the Formula one season-opening Australian Grand Prix after suffering a concussion during an accident in testing last month in Spain.

Alonso, a two-time F1 world champion, spent three days in a Barcelona hospital following his Feb. 22 crash at Circuit de Catalunya.

McLaren issued a statement on Tuesday to confirm Alonso's absence in the March 15 Australian GP. The team said that his doctors recommended "he should seek to limit as far as is possible any environmental risk factors that could potentially result in his sustaining another concussion so soon after his previous one, so as to minimize the chances of second impact syndrome, as is normal medical procedure when treating athletes after concussions."

McLaren noted that Alonso's doctors find him "asymptomatic of any medical issue" and "see no evidence whatsoever of any injury." Doctors also describe him as "entirely healthy from neurological and cardiac perspectives alike."

Kevin Magnussen, the test and reserve driver for McLaren, will fill in for Alonso in the Australian GP. Magnussen competed in 19 grand prix for the team last year. He finished second in his F1 debut in Australia.

Alonso is expected to return to racing for the Malaysian Grand Prix, which is scheduled for the last weekend in March.

"Fernando's doctors acknowledge that he feels fit and well, and that he regards himself as ready to race, and, that being the case, they are comfortable with the fact that he has already recommenced physical training, with a view to preparing for a return to the cockpit of his McLaren-Honda car for the Malaysian Grand Prix meeting on March 27th, 28th and 29th," McLaren said in its statement.

Alonso has not missed a F1 grand prix since he made his first career start in the 2001 Australian GP. He won his world championships in 2005 and '06, driving for Renault at the time. The 33-year-old Spaniard spent the past five years with Ferrari before returning to McLaren this season.

"It will be tough not to be in Australia, but I understand the recommendations. A second impact in less than 21 days 'No'," Alonso tweeted.